City council gave final approval Monday to a bylaw that permits and regulates the use of off-road vehicles – including single-rider and two-up ATVs, side-by-side off-road vehicles and utility-terrain vehicles – on certain city streets.

The bylaw includes a map that identifies about a dozen streets where the four-wheelers are not permitted.

“We chose main highways and connecting links; it was really just because of the volume of traffic moving on those roads. We also set the downtown core (as off-limits). The pedestrian traffic is much higher there and there's a lot of parking on the street. So those were for safety and pedestrian concerns,” Jeff Smith, Owen Sound's bylaw co-ordinator, said Wednesday in an interview.

Off-road vehicles are not allowed on most of 10th Street and 16th Street East, a long stretch of 9th Avenue East, a few downtown blocks of 1st avenues east and west and 2nd Avenue East as well as Moore's Hill.

And, at least until Grey County changes its rules on ATVs on its roads, the four-wheelers will also be banned from county roads in Owen Sound, such as Eddie Sargent Parkway and part of 2nd Avenue West, 3rd Avenue East and East Bayshore Road and Grey Road 5, which includes parts of 6th and 8th streets east and 2nd Avenue East near Harrison Park.

Grey County is now considering a request to allow ATVs to use more of its roads, including streets in the city.

Owen Sound's bylaw also only allows off-road vehicles to be driven between sunrise and sunset from April 1 to Oct. 31. The machines are not permitted in parks, sports fields, playgrounds, cemeteries, sidewalks or boulevards.

The vehicles can use part of the Georgian Bay trail in the north-west area of the city, but are banned from all other trails in the city.

City officials have said the bylaw will be reviewed after this first season is over.

ATV riders must also follow provincial laws, which cap the speed limit of the vehicles at 20 kilometres per hour within city limits and requires them to have a permit and plate number. The off-road vehicles must also have their front and rear lights on at all times and their tires must be inflated to normal settings while on the street.

Riders must have a driver's licence, insurance and wear a helmet.

The current city council has been discussing a potential off-road vehicle bylaw since representatives of the South Bruce Peninsula ATV Club appeared before them Sept. 28 to request that ATVs be allowed on some city streets to get to restaurants, gas stations and hotels.

Council approved the proposal in principle in October, subject to an acceptable route being determined.

After initially considering a set route through the city, council eventually settled on allowing ATVs on all city streets except for those identified as off-limits on a map and schedule in a bylaw.

The full bylaw can be viewed at city hall or online at www.owensound.ca/by-laws.